Sustainable Gain?

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The recession has derailed many once-popular business trends, and you might think that high on that list would be “sustainability.” After all, it’s hard to even define it, let alone spell out a clear business case for funding it. But a new study by MIT’s Sloan Management Review, in conjunction with Boston Consulting Group, uncovered a different story. Test your knowledge of current trends in sustainability (pithily defined by Wikipedia as “the capacity to endure,” which sounds rather important, now that we think about it).

1) In the 2009 Sloan Management Review/BCG survey, 25% of respondents* said they were increasing their investment in sustainability. For 2010 that figure increased to:

A. 34%B. 47%C. 59%D. 71%

2) The study found that most companies fall into one of two camps, “embracers” and “cautious adopters.” Of the former, 66% say sustainability-related actions have boosted profits. Among the latter that figure is:

A. 51%B. 40%C. 29%D. 23%

3) “Embracers” (1) have created a business case for sustainability; (2) believe sustain-ability is necessary to be competitive; and (3) have made it a permanent part of the management agenda. The percent of respondents that meet all three criteria:

A. 24%B. 35%C. 43%D. 51%

4) Among responding companies with fewer than 1,000 employees, the percent that qualify as embracers is:

A. 9%B. 22%C. 40%D. 59%

5) More companies qualify as embracers in this region than in any other:

A. EuropeB. Asia PacificC. Africa/Middle EastD. Australia/New Zealand

6) Embracers were more likely than cautious adopters to cite “improved brand reputation” and “increased competitive advantage” as key benefits to sustainability efforts. Cautious adopters were more likely to cite which of these benefits: